1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to improved apparatus for identifying conventional film cartridges used in a particular type camera, such as the pseudo format camera disclosed in the patent applications cross-referenced above. More particularly, the invention relates to improved apparatus for encoding film cartridges used in the pseudo format camera to distinguish the cartridges from similar ones used in normal format cameras. This is done in order to route film cartridges used in the pseudo format camera to corresponding equipment at the photofinisher for producing pseudo format prints.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A pseudo telephoto print is one that is made from a central portion of an exposure having the same width-to-length ratio, e.g., 31/2:5, as that of the exposure. During the printing process, the negative is masked at its upper, lower, left and right marginal zones, leaving the central portion of the negative unobscured. Alternatively, the film gate in the enlarger may be correspondingly masked or adjusted. Then, an enlargement is made of the central portion of the negative to provide a print with the same width-to-length ratio as that of the central portion. Thus, the print will have a telephoto or close-up format.
A pseudo panoramic print is one that is made from a narrow portion of an exposure having a greater width-to-length ratio, e.g., 1:3, than that of the exposure. During the printing process, the negative is masked at its upper and/or lower marginal zones, leaving the narrow portion of the negative unobscured. Alternatively, the film gate in the enlarger may be correspondingly masked or adjusted. Then an enlargement is made of the narrow portion of the negative to provide a print with the same width-to-length ratio as that of the narrow portion. Thus, the print will have a panoramic or elongate format.
Commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 3,490,844, granted Jan. 20, 1970, discloses a method of making a print of a selected portion of a subject to be photographed. The method comprises the following steps: (1) viewing the subject in the viewfinder of a camera; (2) manually adjusting mechanical masking members visible in the viewfinder to frame a selected portion of the subject; (3) exposing the film in the camera to obtain a latent image of the subject; (4) encoding the exposure on the film with indicia which represents the selected portion of the subject; (5) processing the film to obtain a negative of the latent image of the subject; and (6) sensing the indicia to make a print of the selected portion of the subject from the negative.
When, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,490,844, the selected portion of the subject has the same relative position in the viewfinder as a corresponding portion of the exposure, enlargement of the portion in the negative will provide a pseudo telephoto effect similar to the actual telephoto effect provided by a telephoto lens. Thus, a pseudo telephoto print can be made during the printing process from an exposure taken without a telephoto lens.
Another patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,357,102, granted Nov. 2, 1982, discloses a method of making a pseudo panoramic print from an exposure. According to the method, a window in the viewfinder of a camera has its upper and/or lower marginal zones masked off by an appropriate insert to provide a viewing area with a width-to-length ratio greater than 1:2 and preferably 1:3. Exposures are taken with the window partially masked and, during the printing of the negatives, the film gate in the enlarger is correspondingly masked or provided with an aperture of the same width-to-length ratio as that of the unobscured portion of the window. Printing paper with a similar width-to-length ratio is used. Prints can thus be obtained which have a panoramic or elongate format, without using a panoramic lens.
Although U.S. Pat. No. 3,490,844 discloses a method of making pseudo telephoto prints from exposures taken without a telephoto lens, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,357,102 discloses a method of making pseudo panoramic prints from exposures taken without a panoramic lens, in each instance the exposures are made on film in a conventional (standard) cartridge. Thus, unless otherwise provided by the photographer, there is no indication to the photofinisher that the conventional cartridge was used in a pseudo telephoto or pseudo panoramic camera rather than a regular format camera. During the photofinishing process, a cartridge containing film on which exposures have been made for use in producing pseudo telephoto or pseudo panoramic prints will be indistinguishable from a cartridge containing film on which exposures have been made for use in producing normal prints. Consequently, film on which exposures have been made for use in producing pseudo telephoto or pseudo panoramic prints may not be correctly routed to the special equipment described in the patents for producing pseudo telephoto or pseudo panoramic prints.